This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (ET)
- 10:00 am: Fulham vs. Crystal Palace
- 10:00 am: Manchester United vs. Burnley
- 10:00 am: Newcastle United vs. Sheffield United
- 10:00 am: Wolverhampton vs. Luton Town
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS
Anthony Gordon (NEW vs. SHU, $9,500): It's tough to pick any lower-priced attackers on Saturday's slate given that most of them are goal dependent. Rodrigo Muniz ($7,700) isn't offering any salary relief and the red-hot Jean-Philippe Mateta ($7,800) is in the same range. The only truly minimum-priced forward is Cameron Archer ($4,600) and it's hard to look towards the Sheffield United attack.
So that leaves me looking towards some top-end options and Gordon is the obvious first choice with set pieces on the biggest favorite. Sheffield have been dreadful and Gordon has been excellent in the right spot. Alexander Isak ($9,300) is also a possibility, though more so in tournaments, as he has seven goals in his last seven matches, including a brace against Tottenham. Any part of the Newcastle attack is worth considering, but there will probably only be two eligible forwards in the starting XI.
Elsewhere, Willian ($6,700) and Alex Iwobi ($6,100) are reasonable cash plays, partly because of price and partly because of their consistent floors.
MIDFIELDERS
Bruno Fernandes (MUN vs. BRN, $10,700): There are two truly premium players on this slate and Fernandes is the obvious one, especially in cash games. It's a favorable match on paper and Fernandes is nearly guaranteed to go the full 90 with the lion's share of set pieces and penalties. There are other strong options, but none have the all-around appeal of Fernandes in an excellent match. Gordon has slightly better goalscoring odds and an equally good matchup, though he doesn't bring the same upside on penalties and set pieces.
Michael Olise (CRY at FUL, $10,000): Oliver Glasner told reporters Olise will be back in the starting XI for Saturday's clash, which is great news. The bad news came moments later as Eberechi Eze was labeled questionable with a knee injury. While Eze being out would nearly guarantee Olise a role on every dead-ball situation, it would massively hamper the attack. Olise is at his best alongside Eze on the occasions both can stay fit. The other minor concern with Olise is that he's come off at the 68th minute in his last two starts, though he can easily hit 10-plus floor points with a ceiling in under 68 minutes, as he showed against West Ham.
Harvey Barnes (NEW vs. SHU, $6,900): Barnes has started two matches on the trot and he hasn't been particularly good in those matches, which is why he comes in at a mid-range price. There are few better spots to get right than against Sheffield United. Barnes has the third-best goalscoring odds on the slate and still comes in with a salary under $7,000. Any part of the Newcastle attack is worth considering, especially Barnes who comes at a relative discount.
DEFENDERS
Lorenz Assignon (BUR at MUN, $4,500): Assignon is in for a tough match away to Old Trafford, but he could be an interesting option on a slate that lacks the true upper echelon of defenders. Assignon has been great in recent matches, including a goal and assist last time out and he's also gone the full 90 in almost every start. Manchester United are a tough opponent, but they've been prone to mistakes throughout the season and it's not hard to see Assignon getting some chances to get up the pitch.
Harry Maguire (MUN vs. BRN, $4,000): Maguire is the best (and only) center-back on a team that has thrived off set pieces in recent weeks, so he could have some chances in the Burnley box as a somewhat value option. He's taken at least one shot in each of his last six starts and already has two goals and two assists for the season. Paying more than $4,000 is rarely a good idea for any center-back, but Maguire has decent clean-sheet odds and maybe the most upside of any defender.
GOALKEEPER
Martin Dubravka (NEW vs. SHU, $5,900): Goalkeepers are tough to pick, but against Sheffield United it's hard to look past Dubravka if you can fit him in lineups. He has the best clean sheet chances on the slate in an incredibly favorable spot. Wes Foderingham ($3,600) comes in at the bottom of the salary range and Newcastle have been prone to some randomly poor matches, so he's always worth consideration for some salary relief.
